Eurovision Chief Says No New Israel Vote After EBU Ballot

Eurovision director Martin Green ruled out another vote on Israel's participation, saying the EBU membership spoke conclusively. He said almost 70% of members decided public broadcasters are not responsible for governments and that Israel's public broadcaster should be allowed to participate. He also rejected claims that the boycott by Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain created a financial crisis; the December vote recorded a 738-264 reform tally with a cultural-boycott rebuttal from Israel's broadcaster. Israel's place on cultural stages should not be held hostage by anti-Israel politics when its public broadcaster meets the rules and its artists compete openly.